Access Bank, Dangote Lead Nigeria Charge Against Covid-19

LAGOS (Capital Markets in Africa) – Access Bank Plc, Nigeria’s biggest lender by assets, is teaming up with Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote to provide treatment and isolation centers across Africa’s most populous nation as it braces for the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The facilities, which will be located across the country of more than 200 million people with a total of 1,000 beds, will be ready within weeks, Access Bank said Thursday in an emailed statement.

They will have Chinese experts and serve as testing, isolation, treatment and training centers, the lender added.

United Bank for Africa Plc, another leading Nigerian lender, said it will donate about 5 billion naira ($13 million) toward providing relief assistance to the country and 19 others across Africa to support their governments in combating the viral infection.

Nigeria has so far recorded 51 cases of the Covid-19 virus, including one fatality. There are fears the spread could become exponential if community infections aren’t curtailed.